Selling Guide - Cars: Preparing Your Car For Sale

Preparing your car for sale

Be honest if the car is damaged in any way. If you're not explicit and honest you could waste time with fruitless test drive visits.

If you have a good reason for selling the car, for example, you're moving abroad, include this in the advert.

It's worth spending time preparing your car for sale - research has shown that sellers consistently get a higher price for a well prepared car. Give it a good clean and polish, or get it professionally cleaned, inside and out.

Get rid of any clutter, touch up any stone chips (paint touch up sticks are cheap and readily available) and get an air freshener.

Replace dented or damaged wheel trims, fix minor faults and replace missing badges, check the oil level and tyre pressures.

Finally gather together all related paper work in readiness: MOT certificate, service book and V5C. If you have any old receipts for work done it's worth collecting these together as well - they help reassure the buyer that you are an organised individual who has taken care of the vehicle.